The Central European boar (Sus scrofa scrofa) is a subspecies of wild boar, currently distributed across almost all of mainland Europe, with the exception of some northern areas in both Scandinavia and European Russia and the southernmost parts of Greece.[2] It is a medium-sized, dark to rusty-brown haired subspecies with long and relatively narrow lacrimal bones.[3] In Northern Italy, artificially introduced S. s. scrofa have extensively interbred with the smaller sized indigenous S. s. majori populations since the 1950s.[4]
The boar features prominently in early-Medieval Germanic cultures, with its image having been frequently engraved on shields and swords. They also feature on Germanic boar helmets, such as the Benty Grange helmet, where it was believed to offer protection to the wearer and has been theorised to have been used in spiritual transformations into swine, similar to berserkers. The boar features heavily in religious practice in Germanic paganism where it is closely associated with Freyr and has also been suggested to have been a totemic animal to the Swedes, especially to the Yngling royal dynasty who claimed descent from the god.[5]
According to Tacitus, the BalticAesti featured boars on their helmets, and may have also worn boar masks. The boar and pig were held in particularly high esteem by the Celts, who considered them to be their most important sacred animal. Some Celtic deities linked to boars include Moccus and Veteris. It has been suggested that some early myths surrounding the Welsh hero Culhwch involved the character being the son of a boar god.[6] Nevertheless, the importance of the boar as a culinary item among Celtic tribes may have been exaggerated in popular culture by the Asterix series, as wild boar bones are rare among Celtic archaeological sites, and the few that occur show no signs of butchery, having probably been used in sacrificial rituals.[7]
Referencesedit
^Wozencraft, W. C. (2005). "Order Carnivora". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 532–628. ISBN978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
^Deinet, S., Ieronymidou, C., McRae, L., Burfield, I.J., Foppen, R.P., Collen, B. and Böhm, M. (2013) Wildlife comeback in Europe: The recovery of selected mammal and bird species. Final report to Rewilding Europe by ZSL, BirdLife International and the European Bird Census Council. London, UK: ZSL.
^Heptner, V. G. ; Nasimovich, A. A. ; Bannikov, A. G. ; Hoffman, R. S. (1988) Mammals of the Soviet Union, Volume I, Washington, D.C. : Smithsonian Institution Libraries and National Science Foundation, pp. 19-82
^(in Italian) Scheggi, Massimo (1999). La bestia nera: Caccia al cinghiale fra mito, storia e attualità. Editoriale Olimpia (collana Caccia). pp. 86–89. ISBN88-253-7904-8.
^Kovářová, L. (2011). "The Swine in Old Nordic Religion and Worldview". Háskóla Íslands. S2CID 154250096.
^Mallory, J. P. & Adams, D. Q. (1997), Encyclopedia of Indo-European Culture, Taylor & Francis, pp. 426-428, ISBN1884964982
^Green, M. (2002), Animals in Celtic Life and Myth, Routledge, p. 46, ISBN1134665318
External linksedit
Media related to Sus scrofa scrofa at Wikimedia Commons
February 16, 2024
central, european, boar, scrofa, scrofa, subspecies, wild, boar, currently, distributed, across, almost, mainland, europe, with, exception, some, northern, areas, both, scandinavia, european, russia, southernmost, parts, greece, medium, sized, dark, rusty, bro. The Central European boar Sus scrofa scrofa is a subspecies of wild boar currently distributed across almost all of mainland Europe with the exception of some northern areas in both Scandinavia and European Russia and the southernmost parts of Greece 2 It is a medium sized dark to rusty brown haired subspecies with long and relatively narrow lacrimal bones 3 In Northern Italy artificially introduced S s scrofa have extensively interbred with the smaller sized indigenous S s majori populations since the 1950s 4 Central European boarS s scrofa PolandScientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass MammaliaOrder ArtiodactylaFamily SuidaeGenus SusSpecies S scrofaSubspecies S s scrofaTrinomial nameSus scrofa scrofaLinnaeus 1758Synonyms 1 Species synonymy anglicus Reichenbach 1846 aper Erxleben 1777 asiaticus Sanson 1878 bavaricus Reichenbach 1846 campanogallicus Reichenbach 1846 capensis Reichenbach 1846 castilianus Thomas 1911 celticus Sanson 1878 chinensis Linnaeus 1758 crispus Fitzinger 1858 deliciosus Reichenbach 1846 domesticus Erxleben 1777 europaeus Pallas 1811 fasciatus von Schreber 1790 ferox Moore 1870 ferus Gmelin 1788 gambianus Gray 1847 hispidus von Schreber 1790 hungaricus Reichenbach 1846 ibericus Sanson 1878 italicus Reichenbach 1846 juticus Fitzinger 1858 lusitanicus Reichenbach 1846 macrotis Fitzinger 1858 monungulus G Fischer von Waldheim 1814 moravicus Reichenbach 1846 nanus Nehring 1884 palustris Rutimeyer 1862 pliciceps Gray 1862 polonicus Reichenbach 1846 sardous Reichenbach 1846 scropha Gray 1827 sennaarensis Fitzinger 1858 sennaarensis Gray 1868 sennaariensis Fitzinger 1860 setosus Boddaert 1785 siamensis von Schreber 1790 sinensis Erxleben 1777 suevicus Reichenbach 1846 syrmiensis Reichenbach 1846 turcicus Reichenbach 1846 variegatus Reichenbach 1846 vulgaris S D W 1836 wittei Reichenbach 1846 The boar features prominently in early Medieval Germanic cultures with its image having been frequently engraved on shields and swords They also feature on Germanic boar helmets such as the Benty Grange helmet where it was believed to offer protection to the wearer and has been theorised to have been used in spiritual transformations into swine similar to berserkers The boar features heavily in religious practice in Germanic paganism where it is closely associated with Freyr and has also been suggested to have been a totemic animal to the Swedes especially to the Yngling royal dynasty who claimed descent from the god 5 According to Tacitus the Baltic Aesti featured boars on their helmets and may have also worn boar masks The boar and pig were held in particularly high esteem by the Celts who considered them to be their most important sacred animal Some Celtic deities linked to boars include Moccus and Veteris It has been suggested that some early myths surrounding the Welsh hero Culhwch involved the character being the son of a boar god 6 Nevertheless the importance of the boar as a culinary item among Celtic tribes may have been exaggerated in popular culture by the Asterix series as wild boar bones are rare among Celtic archaeological sites and the few that occur show no signs of butchery having probably been used in sacrificial rituals 7 References edit Wozencraft W C 2005 Order Carnivora In Wilson D E Reeder D M eds Mammal Species of the World A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference 3rd ed Johns Hopkins University Press pp 532 628 ISBN 978 0 8018 8221 0 OCLC 62265494 Deinet S Ieronymidou C McRae L Burfield I J Foppen R P Collen B and Bohm M 2013 Wildlife comeback in Europe The recovery of selected mammal and bird species Final report to Rewilding Europe by ZSL BirdLife International and the European Bird Census Council London UK ZSL Heptner V G Nasimovich A A Bannikov A G Hoffman R S 1988 Mammals of the Soviet Union Volume I Washington D C Smithsonian Institution Libraries and National Science Foundation pp 19 82 in Italian Scheggi Massimo 1999 La bestia nera Caccia al cinghiale fra mito storia e attualita Editoriale Olimpia collana Caccia pp 86 89 ISBN 88 253 7904 8 Kovarova L 2011 The Swine in Old Nordic Religion and Worldview Haskola Islands S2CID 154250096 Mallory J P amp Adams D Q 1997 Encyclopedia of Indo European Culture Taylor amp Francis pp 426 428 ISBN 1884964982 Green M 2002 Animals in Celtic Life and Myth Routledge p 46 ISBN 1134665318External links edit nbsp Media related to Sus scrofa scrofa at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Central European boar amp oldid 1189903925, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
